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So I’ve been half-watching (cuz you know – laptop’s always on the lap, duh) these amazing competitions on So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Got Talent, and these people have some serious talent! These days, we’re accustomed to watching the ones who “aren’t good enough” get booted off these shows, but HELLO—even the ones who go home are sometimes incredible!

Which makes me think about some of the reviews I’ve read on some incredible books lately. There are simply amazing books that have made me laugh, cry, and everything in between. Then I go on Goodreads to find out that not everyone feels the way I do. It’s truly shocking when I see a one-star review on a book I thought was fantastic! Sometimes I wonder, “Did you read the same thing I did?”

But it happens. With my book debut just three months out, I admit that this thought has plagued me. Especially considering the company I work for in my day job, I’m used to having happy people around me constantly. Very happy! (See if you can figure it out.) Now I’m putting myself out there—wait, not me, just my book—and who knows what will happen. I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure that most authors feel this way—nervous about reviews, hoping the gifs aren’t too horrible, and hoping no one throws virtual rotten eggs at your door.

I just have to keep in mind that as with the crazy talent I see on these shows, everyone’s opinions differ. It’s not personal, it’s just business–or whatever.

So yeah, this is probably the closest I’ll get to a review-paranoid post (no promises). I am just grateful to know I’m in good company, regardless of what happens!

So go forth and shine, o talented ones, and don’t fear the reaper of rejection. Can someone remind me of this later?

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I’ve got a confession: when I first started thinking about our power word this month, all I could think about was the movie Office Space. You remember the TGI Friday’s knockoff restaurant where the employees had to wear a lot of “flare” on their suspenders? It still cracks me up. But that kind of flare didn’t inspire me to write.

Then, I thought about a flare being a beacon. A beacon helps people find their way. That’s what I needed. To cut through all the clutter of ideas in my head and focus on reaching a single point. To stay true to that goal. Right now, that goal is a middle grade novel. I’m tempted to get sidetracked now that I’ve hit the murky middle. When I sit down to write and I say “I don’t know what they do next,” I’m tempted to get up and walk away. But I will not. My FLARE is a beacon burning in the distance and I’m staying focused on it.